Project: VA4WDA Earth Day Trail Maintenance Event
Location: Virginia
Description: On Saturday, April 18, 2026, 50 dedicated volunteers from the Virginia 4 Wheel Drive Association (VA4WDA) gathered at the pavilion for a day of impactful trail maintenance and cleanup in celebration of Earth Day. The event began with a safety briefing led by Plinio Beres of the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District for the George Washington-Jefferson National Forest, ensuring all participants were prepared for a safe and productive day.
Dean Shirley of East Coast Overland Adventures provided an overview of Tread Lightly! principles, emphasizing responsible recreation and how individuals can actively help protect public lands. Sandy Schneirla of VA4WDA expressed appreciation to Tread Lightly! and the BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails Grant program for funding one of the dumpsters used during the cleanup, while VA4WDA funded a second dumpster to support the effort.
Volunteers worked diligently throughout the day, successfully filling two large dumpsters with collected waste. In addition, approximately 50 discarded tires were removed from the forest and recycled by the U.S. Forest Service. The cleanup significantly improved the environmental health and appearance of the area while reinforcing a strong culture of stewardship among participants.
This Earth Day event demonstrated the power of collaboration and volunteerism, with meaningful results achieved through the shared commitment of partners and community members.
Thank you to the partners who made this possible:
• BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails
• Virginia 4 Wheel Drive Association
• U.S. Forest Service
• East Coast Overland Adventures
• Can-Tain-It
“We at Virginia Four Wheel Drive Association (VA4WDA) are appreciative to Tread Lightly! and the BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails program for their continued support, this year providing the funding for one of our dumpsters! Events to perform trail maintenance and remove litter would not be possible without their support, the support of the Ranger and staff from the Glenwood-Pedlar District of the George Washington National Forest, and our amazing volunteers that work tirelessly for our efforts. Hope to see you on the Bald Mountain Jeep Trail next year for Earth Day. Let’s ALL continue to do our part to keep our public land open to the public!” – Sandy Schneirla, Vice President, VA4WDA
“Now more than ever we need groups like VA4WDA and their members stepping up to foster working relationships with the U.S. Forest Service. Having Tread Lightly! working as a link between volunteers and the Forest Service goes a long way toward fulfilling the spirit of Earth Day. It’s great seeing so many people showing up to pull trash and tires out of the woods! It’s even better seeing the group of volunteers grow each year”. – Dean Shirley, East Coast Overland Adventures
Want to get involved in your own Tread Lightly! project? Find upcoming activities, events and grant opportunities at treadlightly.org.
